It's been a while........

This spring has given us the most beautiful weather this year. My sons had their 28th birthday. Devin is still working the eggs. Edward is in a transitional stage, back in Raleigh.
George and I did Larkspur. Super show and so much fun spending time with friends.
Lots of yard work and gardening going on at my house.
Lots of biking and watching the pre tour de france racing shows, Bradley Wiggins has become a household name.
Last time I posted it was mothers' day next weekend its fathers' day. Time slips away so quickly. Georges birdhouses have been very popular. I love that folks are sending us photos of the birds checking out and moving in their new digs. The houses are now available at Cedar Creeks Gallery.
My jewelry is a lot of "work in progress" as I have several upcoming shows and commissions. Photos very soon.  Still no iphone for me, but I'm enjoying playing around with instagram on Georges iphone.
A trip to Blowing Rock coming soon, and I'm attempting to get first draft of earring book underway.
Summer camp starts at work this week, staying real busy. Life is good. I beat the squirrel to our first red tomato.

Weekend Gardening

Bettys' Garden, Tomatoes, lettuce &basil.
Deck container tomates.
THese two like each other
Edwards garden , mostly peppers.

Super duper stuff.


A serendipitous week for me.

A fun evening with old and new friends at Sandra's, featuring her favorite macaroni and cheese recipe.






Got my catalog from the "Materials, Hard and Soft" Denton Texas, juried show. I had "Three Rings" in the show, my friend Kathryn Osgood won an award for her "Ocean" piece.

This was fashion week at the Textile School NCSU. They had a display of student work which showed the fabric made, with the source of inspiration. This being one of my favorite. The "Art to Wear" show is coming up. The dress on the show card was on display at the exhibit, the artistry of the photographer, definitely created her own statement.


All the colors of spring have really made being outdoors delightful.


Don't really use alot of color in my work but it seems to be creeping in. I finally have some new ideas and designs going on. Upcoming shows are right around the corner. Larkspur in June and art in the park in July. It is so nice when you plant something and it comes back the following year. These columbine flowers are really doing well at my front porch they have a jewel like whimsy about them that always makes me smile. This is my first Japanese maple . They are so pretty. Im hoping to get another waterfall version this fall. Good ole' Sophie keeps on trucking along, shes 12 and the steps can challenge her so we try to get her to go up the hill.




Almost spring




Spring fever, Im happy to see the magnolia tulip tree returned to flower this year. Lion box etching off to the plater, and a trip to Durham to see Lyle Lovett. The bull city in the tobacco district is very nostalgic , DPAC is nice. Our seats were way up in the balcony. But, we actually bumped right into and said hello to Lyle before the performance as he was out photographing the downtown buildings and billboards.


Treescapes & Woodstock





Exploring ideas and images for new work.
This is a bracelet I made in 1997, I had to rebuild the links after so many years of wear. Its always nice to know someone has been enjoying your jewelry.
Daylight savings time, 70's all week.Woodstock catnapping in the sunshine.



Pet portrait, Babies and Bracelets

Ive been a little behind in blogging, so here's whats been going on. George finished his pet painting commission. It is so sweet and furry. I love this totem piece of yard art that was in Mary Ann Scherrs' backyard. She so generously had our workshop class over to her house for the etching portion of our class. Another Pullen Art Center baby was born. JoAnna Moody had her baby girl Claira True. Hope to go see her next week. This "baby in the pod" painting by Eliza Kiser hangs in the Art Center Lobby. We have had a baby a year for the past 3 years, so begins another generation. It has been a warm and lately windy february, all our vegetation have been confused. Out my jewelry studio I watch as all the gumballs fall in my yard. I love the winter treescapes, but I am getting weary of all the gumball raking. there seems to be no end in sight. My new kitchen peninsula ie. countertop is fantastic it really opens up that space and allows for a whole new choppng and food prep area. As soon as I decide on my kitchen color I will photograph facing the other direction. Several days of February were consumed with the unexpected death of Whitney Houston it has been hard to get all her songs out of my head. She was pretty fantastic. And, in all my years of jewelry making, this past weekend was my first for making a cuff bracelet. Ive known Mary Ann Scherr for years but this was the first time I had been in one of her classes . She is pretty amazing. An absolutely dedicated teacher and inspiration. She covered pattern making of the human body for necklaces, shared some of her design tricks and theories and we each made on of her signature etched cuff bracelet. I hope to get back to more frequent postings. I also hope to be getting settled into a more regular schedule, for all my things I do. Spring is just around the corner.





Saturday






Visited Devins' chicken coop he has been tending to. The chickens were big, and fluffy, one of them likes to be hand fed. The hens produce eggs which Devin delivers to customers. It was nice to have a day to just hang out.
Meanwhile winter has blown in with a cool blast it actually feels like February.
























Earring challenge reception was a success. Moving forward, making rings and bracelets for awhile now.

As much as I would love to be sitting by the fire on this chilly night. Our rooms are full of dust and clutter as we are doing a renovation on our kitchen, small job big mess but in the end it will be nice.

Reception tonight






The Earring Challenge 2011

For the past year, Julie Brooks, Megan Clark, Suzanne Krill, Lillian Jones and Betty McKim have challenged themselves to create a pair of earrings every week. The 2011 Earring Challenge exhibit showcases the 260 pairs of earrings and the design development process that evolved from this commitment. The exhibition will be on display at the Pullen Arts Center from January 15th – February 28th with a reception on Thursday, February 9th, from 6 – 8pm.





Brooks attended NCSU in Raleigh, NC for 3 years studying zoology before deciding to explore her passion for the arts. This moved her to Greenville, NC where she graduated in 2002 with a BFA in Metal Design from ECU. After 3 years of working for Atlanta based enamelist Ricky Frank as a bench jeweler, she attended graduate school and received an MFA in Artisanry, with a concentration in Jewelry/Metal design, from UMASS Dartmouth in 2008. Currently, Brooks is a studio artist creating one of a kind sculpture and jewelry. She also teaches beginning to advanced metalsmithing courses and has exhibited nationally. Her work can be seen in the books: 1000 Rings, 500 Wedding Rings, The Art of Enameling, and upcoming this year Humor in Craft.


McKim uses predominantly silver interlaced with accents of gold and colorful gemstones. The surfaces are oxidized, satin finished and, or high polished. Each piece is hand fabricated combining various metalsmithing techniques. She particularly enjoys the process of making a series of parts and then composing them in a harmonious way, sometimes injecting an oddity or dissimilar point of interest.


Clark grew up in Durham, North Carolina where she became interested in visual arts at an early age. This interest led her to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2001 where she pursued a degree in Metals and Jewelry. After graduating in 2005, Clark relocated to Raleigh, NC, where she began her career as a jewelry artist and craftsman.

Since 2009, Clark has been working independently on her own designs and participating in art shows and exhibitions along the East Coast. She has developed a unique style that is both contemporary and timeless.


Krill came to jewelry primarily from a printmaking background, with an interest in printmaking techniques on clay, some of which she uses on the metal in her jewelry. 
She has been making jewelry for about 7 years. Krill has taken advantage of numerous classes and workshops taught by jewelry artists well known in the field which were offered both at Pullen Art Center and the Craft Center at NC State . She has also attended some sessions at Penland School of Crafts in Penland North Carolina.



Jones received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the the

University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, followed by a two year scholarship in metals at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. She also earned a Masters Degree in Industrial Design at North Carolina State University.

She has almost 40 years experience as a jewelry maker, enamelist and illustrator.

Block Gallery & Earring Challenge Reception








Block Gallery has been hosting some impressive shows over the years. The space is very open, with a huge curved staircase, the gallery is the lobby/entry of the Raleigh Municipal Building so the art work is enjoyed and viewed by a group of people that might not otherwise seek out to view art. Currently Keith Norval has a collection of his animal painting in the gallery as part of a group show.The round bird painting was my favorite. Anna and Keiths' daughter Ingrid had a great time. She quite enjoyed running around the circular opening of the stairwell upstairs. Then took a rest on the cool speckled floor. Both Keith and Anna teach classes at Pullen and have studios at Artspace. Their art work can be seen all throughout the triangle.
We are pushing hard to get people to come to our Earring Show reception. February 9th 6-8. lots of earrings and just in time for Valentines Day. Winter has been slow coming in North Carolina this year. Makes it more enjoyable for getting out. So come join us next Thursday if you can.

Last day of January already













a recap of all thats been going on. Workshops, personal trainer, super warm weather, the earring show, new photo box, the debates #*+! ukh.....politics. Starting new projects. Gathering images, ideas for new work about reflections and shadows of memories. Those exposed and those that are secret, hidden contained, Boxes, lockets, organizing, compartamentalizing, I dont think that's a word but I know what it means. Eight sections , catrillion units, filterd vision . Where to begin? multiples, components, sketches, walks in the woods and time at the bench. Im excited about this journey and commitment and the uncertainty that surrounds it for now.